Lindblom, Sellers make Opening Day roster

LOS ANGELES -- After beating the Angels, 4-1, on Tuesday night, the Dodgers made cuts to put their final roster together before Opening Day.

Right-handed reliever Josh Lindblom and infielder Justin Sellers will begin the season with the Dodgers, while reliever Scott Rice and infielders Luis Cruz and Josh Fields were reassigned.

Rice pitched in Tuesday's game, giving up two hits in one inning to close out the spring with a 3.48 ERA. Meanwhile, Lindblom pitched in 11 games in the Cactus League, going 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA.

"It wasn't an easy decision. We went back and forth on it," manager Don Mattingly said. "Josh pitched as good as anyone in camp. He was a guy who really earned his spot, but I also expect to see Rice again."

While Cruz hit .278 with eight RBIs this spring and Fields had an average of .261 with three RBIs, Sellers stood out from the others, not only hitting .293 with one home run and nine RBIs, but separating himself defensively.

"Sells just gives us so much versatility at short, second and third. He has done all the work," Mattingly said. "He is a guy that I like because he isn't afraid of anything and will catch the baseball. He is as tough as can be."

Fun, fun, fun all summer long with Beach Boys

LOS ANGELES -- Ready to celebrate 50th anniversaries together, the Los Angeles Dodgers and The Beach Boys will have a season-long partnership with special performances, festivities and merchandise, the team announced Tuesday.

Not only will the band, originally from Hawthorne, Calif., have a special concert for the Dodgers' home opener on April 10 against the Pirates, it will also sing the national anthem that day, the start of Dodger Stadium's 50th anniversary season.

"The Dodgers are so pleased to share our Golden anniversary with another California icon," Tommy Lasorda, Hall of Fame manager and special advisor to the chairman, said in a written statement. "Singing the national anthem any time is an honor, but especially on Opening Day. I am looking forward to their performance."

As part of this partnership, the Dodgers and The Beach Boys will offer co-branded merchandise featuring the band's 50th anniversary logo and Dodger Stadium's 50th anniversary logo.

The Dodgers will also dedicate their May 18 game against the Cardinals to The Beach Boys. Prior to the start of the game on "Beach Boys Night," the Dodgers will once again treat fans to the legendary band's most memorable tunes as The Beach Boys' recorded music will be played in Dodger Stadium.

"It's very special to us that we get to celebrate our 50 years alongside the Dodgers, a team we all love," The Beach Boys said in the statement. "Generations of fans have supported our music just as much as their Boys in Blue and we're very happy to celebrate both L.A. traditions at Dodger Stadium this Opening Day."

Return home has Dodgers primed for season

LOS ANGELES -- As the Dodgers made their way onto the field Tuesday at Dodger Stadium to take batting practice, one thing was for certain -- they were happy to be home.

That's because the team was here for its Spring Training game against the Angels for the first time since the end of the 2011 season.

"It definitely feels good to be back," manager Don Mattingly said. "To have our first game back in the stadium is really good for us. Good to be back."

With only one Spring Training game left after Tuesday's contest, the Freeway Series finale here on Wednesday afternoon, the Dodgers feel ready to head down to San Diego for Opening Day on Thursday.

Getting players once again familiar with the stadium, coaches hit balls to outfielders in the gaps, making sure they saw how the ball was being played off the grass and how it felt to throw from certain areas of the field.

"There is a different energy this year from fans," Mattingly said. "We could feel it the first day in Spring Training. I feel like it will be a different vibe here this year too."

Quinn Roberts is a reporter for MLB.com This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.